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tv   Journal  PBS  March 21, 2013 6:30pm-7:00pm PDT

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the little feathery strokes that make him look a little more dimensional, and that's how you start bringing in forming the eye. now here's the big comment, because i just had this happen twice last week in our classes at the studio. i had two people trying to get that done. it was too scratchy. it's just not enough moisture, flare out your brush, quick strokes, and you can get it ok. we're going to spend a lot of time on this next time. i'll work on it some too between now and then. i hope you can too and thanks for joining us, god bless you stay inspired keep painting and i'll see you real soon again right here on another yarnell school of fine art.
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>> live from the dw studios here in berlin, this is the "journal." our headlines for you at this hour -- anger is growing in cyprus on international pressure. the european bank gives nicosia until monday to comply with
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regulations. >> a call for peace from prison. the jailed kurdish rebel leader says now is the time to end the fighting between the kurds in the turks. >> barack obama urges israelis to see the world through the eyes of palestinians in order to bring about peace in the region. >> well, people in cyprus are standing in lines at cash machines. banks remain closed as the government's scramble to put together a new bailout plan for the broken financial sector. >> the clock is ticking. ecb says cyprus must come up with ed bop -- viable bailout plan by monday. if not, there will cut off funding, also listening the country into bankruptcy. >> there's also talk of a
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solidarity investment fund that could include bonds backed by the government and even by churches. >> angry separates -- cyprian -- separates -- cypriots gathered outside the parliament building here the latest reports say cypriot officials are mulling a special fund as contributions coming reportedly from the island's wealthy orthodox church, from pension funds, and the central bank's gold reserves. the governor of the island's central bank was confident a solution would be found. >> i expect there will be a program of support for cyprus until monday. >> as the politicians tried to come up with a last-to address you, the mood on the streets debt is to spur a panic. earlier in the day, police clashed with angry bank employees after rumors spread
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that the island's second-biggest lender was to be shut down. the central bank denied those reports. with atm's paying out 680 euros per person per day, cypriaots ae increasingly despondent. >> it is too late to salvage anything. we've lost our credibility as a financial center, and whatever the final plan of the government is today, the damage has already been done. >> and time is running out. the european central bank has given the government until monday to come up with a new plan, or it will pull the plug on support for the island's thanks. >> for the latest, we go now live to nicosia. we are hearing initial details about the so-called plan be to help save cyprus, but what is the government doing right now? it is being -- >> it is being discussed in parliament, but
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we're not giving -- given a great deal of information. we understand the bank levy would be scrapped. that has all been confirmed by the government, but it does open a whole range of questions. the president says parliament would receive the bill by the end of the night. that apparently outlines the creation of a state investment fund, which would satisfy the ecb's obligation to raise billions of heroes, but we do not have the details, so i cannot tell you more. whether it gets passed through parliament is a different story. this was overshadowed by an earlier rumored that the popular bank was winding down. the central bank governor had to come on television and say that measures will be imposed on the popular banks, which is the second biggest lender. he said failure to do so will
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render it bankrupt. atm's now only issuing 260 euros. most of the protesters outside parliament are popular bank staff. they were told that the bank with close -- that the bank would close. some tried to storm the building. the whole situation is very shaky indeed because it looks as if as one problem goes, another one comes up. >> thanks for the update from nicosia. on today's market action, and european shares suffered their biggest drop in three weeks on thursday. the negative market sentiment, however, had less to do with cyprus and more to do with a report showing an unexpected slowdown in german manufacturing output. our correspondents and as the summary from the frankfurt stock exchange. >> cyprus was once again the major topic of the financial
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markets. the ecb's decision to cut the lifeline of separate banks on monday caused a real shock -- the lifeline of cypriaot thanks. although the ecb had won several times that they would do so, and no one took it seriously. markets have also been hit by disappointing economic data. the eurozone's downturn is deepening, and german growth pulled down in the service sector and the biggest tree signal no soothing message today -- the service sector and industry signaled no soothing message today. >> the dax fell by nearly 0.9%, finishing well below the 8000- point level. euro stoxx 50 down by a similar amount. the dow trading down as well at 14,455 points. the bureau also weaker against the greenback, trading at a value of $1.2919 -- the euro
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also weaker against the greenback. >> politics instead of weapons. the leader of the armed kurdish group that has battled turkey for years has -- says it is time to talk peace. >> from the prison island where he has been held since 1999, he called on the worker's party to lay down its arms. the turkish government has given a cautious welcome to the cease- fire announcement. >> hundreds of thousands of flag-waving kurds gathered to hear the announcement. it was read out as part of new year festivities. the leader of the outlawed pkk has spent the last 14 years in a turkish jail. his call for a truce is read out to the crowd by a kurdish politician. he also urged fighters to withdraw from turkey to other kurdish areas beyond the
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country's borders. the call for a ceasefire comes after months of talks between the jailed leader and the turkish intelligence service. rebels from the kurdistan workers party have waged a 30- year war, initially fighting for an independent state for ethnic kurds. later, they modified their demands, seeking instead increase the autonomy within turkey. the pkk has used terrorist tactics in the past. from the time he was arrested, the terrorist attacks became less frequent, but the rebels never completely laid down their arms. many ordinary turks greeted the announcement with caution. >> i do not think he can exercise enough power from prison to persuade others. i doubt they will heed his words and renounce violence.
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>> but in the absence of any available alternative, but turks and kurds can only hope that the violent conflict will soon come to an end. >> for the latest, we are joined on the line from istanbul. how did this cease-fire, about? >> it seems to be a coinciding of interests. the prime minister also seems to be ready to talk about the conflict. he has been in jail for 14 years. the conflict has reached a virtual standstill. at the same time, the government realized that they also were unlikely to score a military victory. across egypt, there is a defacto turkish state.
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syrian kurds are also taking large part -- control of large parts of syrian territory. there is pressure on the government, but it is now trying to solve its kurdish problem. the talks had started in october. now, they are bearing fruit. >> let me ask you this -- some people say this is the last opportunity that he will have to exert power over the pkk. do you see it that way as well? >> that is certainly a consideration. although he has recently shown he is still the number one authority in the movement. it was seen as an example of his power, and the fact that he has managed to get the backing of the pkk leaders and also the
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organization across europe as well. that are underlining that although they do have concerns, they are supporting him. >> all right, thank you very much. >> on day two of president barack obama's diplomatic tour to the middle east, he met with palestinian officials in the west bank to emphasize the importance of reaching an israeli-palestinian peace deal, but the difficulty of the mission was underscored by a rocket attack in southern israel by palestinian militants in gaza. >> thursday afternoon, he received a standing ovation from the israeli audience after proclaiming his support for an independent palestinian state alongside a jewish won. >> obama also made it clear that u.s. support for israel is not unconditional, saying to settlements are preventing peace. we have more from jerusalem.
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>> the main auditorium in jerusalem was packed. hundreds of israelis came to hear the u.s. president speak. obama step to the key message of his visit. >> i believe that peace is the only path to true security. the only way for israel to enter and thrive as a jewish and democratic state is through the realization of an independent and viable palestine. that is true. >> the address to university students came after obama returned from the west bank where he met with the palestinian president. both leaders criticized israeli settlement building. abbas condemned the construction as illegal. obama also spoke to the ongoing threats to israeli security. the u.s. president criticized hamas, saying cause the's rulers
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have focused on tearing palestine down instead of building israel up. obama had words of the encouragement for young israelis back in jerusalem. he said they held the key to making peace and pledged washington's solidarity. >> today, i want to tell you -- particularly the young people, so that there is no mistake here -- so that there -- so long as there is a united states of america [speaking hebrew] >> words meaning "you are not alone." >> our correspondent is in jerusalem. she was there for president obama's speech. she joins us now from jerusalem. what would you say? did the president hit all the right buttons for his audience? >> i think for the audience that was in the convention center for
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the speech, a lot of people said it was a very courageous speech. the main aim of the visit was to please the public. he also called on them to really go for peace, and he encouraged especially young people to push for that. he said it is so important in the region, especially at a time when everything around israel is so chaotic. >> president obama's visit obviously not just for the israelis. earlier in the day, he was in the west bank. how was he received? >> i think it takes much more to convince the palestinian public, at least, of what he wants to really do. they have been saying that while he gave a speech in cairo at the beginning of his first term, and people were very enthusiastic about it, there is a lot of disappointment in the region, and i do not think he could convince them today that he
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really wants to do something. what i hear a lot from both sides is what comes next? will there be real steps, or is that all symbolic? and what will the american engagement be in the region? what concrete steps will they see in their daily lives? >> all right, our correspondent covering president obama's visit in israel. thank you very much. coming up, a look at the significance of obama's visit to israel. >> and how the nonstop snow in berlin contributed to a tragic accident. stay with us.
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>> welcome back, everyone. there are new major headlines emerging from u.s. president obama's visit to israel. it is obvious that the stock for the president is all about pressing flesh and renewing relationships. >> ahead of the visit, the white house played down hopes of a renewed middle east peace process getting under way and signalled clearly that no major breakthroughs should be expected. so far, obama and israeli
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president benjamin netanyahu have been doing their best to put personal disagreements behind them. >> we look now at where israel and the u.s. stand today and with this visit could possibly take those ties. >> this is it is more of a symbolic gesture and less about the specifics of a peace plan. barack obama's aimed to build back a little warm in relations with israel. >> we've spent more time together, working together than i have with any leader, and this speaks to the closeness of our two nations. [applause] >> the alliance between the united states and israel is considered sacrosanct and has a long tradition. it dates back to 1967, during the six-day war. israeli forces took control of the west bank and the gaza strip. washington's pro-israeli policy was born with president lyndon b. johnson starting to send money and arms to the jewish state.
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11 years later, the leaders of first world enemies israel and egypt signed the camp david accords after two weeks of intense negotiations led by president jimmy carter. the palestinians never give up their desire for self- determination. their frustration spilled out in the late 1980's with a desperate uprising against israeli occupation. that conflict ended in 1993 with the signing of the oslo accords. >> all the peoples of the middle east deserve the blessings of peace. >> for the first time, there was mutual recognition between israel and the palestinians. u.s. president bill clinton looked on as yasser arafat and israeli leaders shook hands. nevertheless, prospects for peace were shaken when palestinian extremists intensified their campaign of
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terror. for its part, israel broke with accords by refusing to dismantle settlements in the west bank and gaza strip. washington changed its middle east chad agee following the attacks of september 11. americans were more focused on the war on terror. peace with the palestinians took a back seat. but in 2002, president george de b. bush outlined a two-state solution when he presented what was called the road map. again, the three-that peace plan failed to stop the spiraling violence. on a visit to egypt in 2009, a newly elected president obama but washington's traditional relations with israel to the test when he sought to mend ties with the islamic world. >> i have come here to cairo to seek a new beginning between the united states and muslims around the world. >> but obama failed to meet expectations in the islamic
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world, and many criticized what they called half-hearted efforts to achieve peace between israel and palestinians. in the wake of the arab spring, tensions are simmering all over the middle east. for the americans, the israeli- palestinian conflict is just one of many. >> president obama is now in his second term, and this is his first official visit to israel, so what took him so long? in middle east analyst at the brookings institute in washington d.c. joneses. >> in his first term, he felt a tremendous amount of pressure from both washington -- folks in washington -- and in israel to make a visit to israel. the israelis felt kind of sidelined by the cairo speech which he opened his first term with, and they did not necessarily like the tone of that speech. they were waiting for some sign that he also had a concern with
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the israeli public. he resisted his entire first term and decided to make this his first trip of his second term, as a way, maybe, of making up for not going in his first four years. >> let me ask you -- will this visit helped to start to restart or bring about a revival of the peace process? >> well, i think the chances seem unlikely at this moment, that we will see any major breakthrough in the coming weeks or months, but you never know. it is possible. i do not think that is the primary goal of his mission, but i think the fact that his new secretary of state, john kerry, is very interested in doing exactly that at least leave that possibility open, and i think what will be much more interesting is not what happens while he is there on the ground but what happens after he leaves when senator kerry goes
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back and in the discussions he has with israelis and palestinians over the next several weeks. then we will know more over if there is a chance for a meaningful peace process. >> looking at the entire region, what is the significance of this? >> as i said before, his primary mission is to talk directly to the israeli public and reassure them that the united states stands behind israel at this particular moment of uncertainty, and heightened anxiety by the israeli public, and the primary focus in that regard is iran, the fear of iran gaining nuclear capability, and the spillover effect of the syrian conflict, and what that might mean for israeli security as well as long-term diplomatic
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efforts. to the extent that he has a message on the region, it is probably less about peace with palestinians and more about these regional developments like iran and syria. >> we have to wrap it up there. thank you very much. >> in germany, a police helicopter pilot has been killed and four other people injured in mid-aircraft between two helicopters. the exercises were aimed at preparing officers for a large- scale outbreak of violence among soccer fans. >> it was supposed to be a textbook exercise -- police were carrying out a training operation at berlin's olympic stadium when tragedy struck. two helicopters attentive to land in a snowstorm when there
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rollerblades click each other. it is believed snow kicked up by the helicopters is obscured the pilots vision, but the precise cause of the accident is still being investigated. it was an accident that proved fatal. >> we are thinking of the relatives of the victims. our thoughts are also with those who are injured. we wish them a speedy recovery. >> winter weather is still hanging over germany, causing misery for motorists, and treacherous conditions for pedestrians. this time last year, berliners were enjoying the onset of spring, something which may well have presented -- prevented this tragic accident. >> in germany, women and men are equal under the law, but in the workplace, equality of pay remains out of reach. >> women have to work 15 months
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to earn what men make in a year doing the same job. >> the painful reality highlighted across the country thursday during equal pay date. >> raising a flag for equal pay. in berlin and around germany, people have been staging protests to call attention to the wage gap between men and women. >> for us, the first step is raising awareness. we have organized over 800 initiatives around germany. it is important that people recognize the problem. >> it is a problem not just in germany but around europe. in the european union, women earned around 16% less than men on average. the difference is even bigger in germany at about 22%. the pay gap is smaller in many eastern european countries. in poland, for instance, women and about 4% less, but there are
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fewer women in the work force overall. more women work part time or low-wage jobs. many women find work in child care and health care, but many jobs in these sectors are poorly paid. by contrast, the best paid positions are often occupied by men. women account for fewer than one in every five leadership posts. >> thousands of air travelers in germany were left stranded or faced with our-long delays on thursday as staff at lufthansa walked off their jobs. the token strike hit airports at all the big german cities, and about 700 flights had to be canceled. domestic and european flights were hardest hit. a trade union is demanding a pay rise of more than 5% for more
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than 40,000 staff. scientists with the european space agency have created a map of the oldest but in existence, providing more evidence that the universe was created in a split- second known as the big bang. the data was gathered by a satellite, which has been scanning the skies since 2009. researchers say it shows that the universe is about 80 million years older than previously calculated. the big bang is the most comprehensive theory of how the cosmos were created. >> we are older than we thought. [laughter] all right, thanks for watching, everybody. everybody.

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